1. Field of the Invention
With regard to the classification of art, this invention is believed to be found in the general class entitled "Material or Article Handling", and more particularly to the subclasses pertaining to rotating cradles which have a non-fixed pivot. This apparatus is of an elevator type having a telescoping tubular column.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The lifting and tilting of receptacles such as drums and the like are the subject of several prior U.S. Patents. The closest known art related to the present invention are U.S. Pat. No. 4,797,050, issued to Habicht on Jan. 10, 1989 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,954,037, issued to Habicht on Sept. 4, 1990. Each of the listed patents has issued to the present inventor, who also is the sole owner. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,797,050 and 4,954,037 are incorporated by reference into the present invention to the extent the present law allows.
Each of my prior U.S. Patents teaches the use of a camming trackway to provide the tilting action. It has been found that a camming trackway provides very accurate and repetitive tilting motion as and when the drum is lifted. This is of importance when the apparatus is used with a receiving apparatus which have like or uniform receiving heights.
It has been determined that a need exists for a lifting and tilting apparatus which is capable of being tilted independently of the lift, so as to discharge the material carried in the drums. This need has been identified as the lifting and tilting apparatus has found new uses with equipment having non-uniform receiving heights for their apertures, mouths, openings and the like which accept the material discharged from the receptacle.
The present invention solves the need to provide an apparatus which is capable of being used with a variety of processing equipment.